Before the start of the GP season there has always been guessing about the strength of the different teams, while the (first) answer is always only found after the qualifying in Melbourne. The usual question is how the strength will be distributed amongst the teams on the track in a season about to start. Inside the Scuderia, after the winter test sessions with an extremely innovative single-seater like the F2012, we were aware of the fact that we’d have a start into a race to catch up. The first qualifying session here at the Albert Park circuit confirmed our theory: Fernando Alonso 12th, Felipe Massa 16th.

Q3 was at Fernando’s hand, but also a double World Champion is not infallible: when he hit the grass with the left front wheel he lost control over the car and spun into the gravel. Meanwhile Felipe had problems with the car’s set up all morning and we have to understand what exactly was the problem here.

Let’s face it, we’re not happy with this result: usually the Scuderia fights for completely different positions. We know that we have to work hard (and we can assure you that we won’t leave any stone unturned) to call up the entire potential of our F2012. That doesn’t mean that we are giving in or giving up. To our fans all over the world we want to say that their disappointment is comprehensible, but this is not the moment to make a final judgement. The season is very long and we’ve got all in place to return to the top spots.

In tomorrow’s race it will be extremely important to avoid trouble in the hot zone of the field, where our cars are. And who knows: maybe the Ferrari tradition of an excellent start will allow us to immediately gain some positions on the first metres of the race. Let’s not delude ourselves: at this moment our goal is to drive into the points.